More narcopoliticians, drug lords will fall » Manila Bulletin News

Following the death of Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., Philippine National Police Chief director general Ronald dela Rosa vowed there would be more narcopoliticans and drug lords who will fall in the continuing war against illegal drugs.

Dela Rosa said he could not just identify who would be next as it all depends on the case buildup being conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and other units under the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“There will be more, just wait,” said dela Rosa in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

In the case of the Ozamiz City operation that led to the death of Parojinog, his wife Susan, his brother Misamis Occidental board member Octavio Parojinog Jr. and 12 others, the official said it just so happened that the validation during the case buildup was done ahead of the rest.

The basis of the validation and the case buildup, dela Rosa disclosed, is the long list of drug lords and narcopoliticians earlier released by President Duterte.

“This should serve as a warning to everyone that there is no sacred cow for the PNP in enforcing the law. As far as the law is concerned, we have no fear or favor. If you have to be operated by our personnel, then you will be operated,” said dela Rosa.

Before the Parojinogs, the suspected drug lord in Iloilo, couple Melvin and Meriam Odicta, were killed while they were on their way back to their hometown after meeting dela Rosa at Camp Crame last year.

Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, on the other hand, was killed inside his detention facility in Baybay City in Leyte.

But the PNP chief was quick to emphasize that those in the list should not be afraid, especially if they are indeed innocent as what they have been claiming.

“If they are really not doing wrong, then why would they be afraid. The case builup can be built or unbuilt depending on the prevailing situation,” dela Rosa said.

“If we validated that you are continuously involved in illegal drugs, then they have to prepare themselves,” he added.

In the case of the Parojinogs, CIDG Chief director Roel Obusan disclosed that the validation they conducted disclosed that Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog is still into illegal drug trade.

“We conducted validation and it turned out that for quite a time, she went on with illegal drug trade. In fact, we were able to seize shabu,” Obusan said.

Nova Princess used to be the girlfriend of Herbert Colangco, a controversial inmate of the National Bilibid Prisons tagged as among the top drug lords in the country despite his detention.

“Before we operated, she just came from somewhere. We could not just reveal it because it is part of the investigative complaints,” Obusan said.

Nova arrived at Camp Crame yesterday morning and was directly moved to the Custodial Center.

Don’t fight

As far as he is concerned, dela Rosa said he wanted the Parojinogs alive in order for them to face justice.

But as the Parojinogs allegedly tried to fight back, dela Rosa said the mayor and his men had to suffer the consequences of their action of engaging the police in a gunfight.

“I wanted him alive but I want my men to be alive more than him. As the smoke is cleared, the good men should be standing and the bad men should be lying on the pavement,” dela Rosa said.

Not meant to be liquidated

Dela Rosa also denied that they have long planned to kill the Parojinogs as alleged by the lawyer who cited the repeated pronouncements of the local police chief.

“I know that he is meant to be operated upon, not to be liquidated,” said dela Rosa, as he stressed that they expect the camp of the Parojinog to come up with so many allegations.

He also allayed suspicions that the time when the search warrants were served was an indication of the plan to kill the Parojinogs. The search warrants were served at around 2:30 a.m.on Sunday.

“It was not stated in the warrant that it should be served during office hours. You are commanded to serve the search warrant any time of the day, any day of the week,” said dela Rosa.